Blower with combined air cleaner



BLOWER WITH COMBINED AIR CLEANER Filed Aug. 15, 1947 a I r [2 1/ I a If INVENTOR.

rea JT UNITED" STATES PATENT OFFICE BLOWER W ITH COMBINED AIR CLEANER Alfred S. Chipley, Mundelein, Ill., assignor' to v j Burgess-Manning Company, Libertyville, 111., a corporation of. Illinois A'ppli'cation August 15, 1947, Serial No. 768,736 4 Claims. (01. 183--37) This invention relates, to blowers and more particularly to centrifugal blowers having means combined therewith for separating solid or liquid particles from the air or other gases in which s'uch particles are entrained as the air passes through the blower.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a centrifugal blower which incorporatesas .an integral part of the device an extremely simthe elemental features and mode of operation of different units are similar. Air is drawn into the blower housing at a central aperture, flowing first into the spac surrounded by the impeller and then turnin abruptly in direction to flow between the impeller vanes and thence to the discharge outlet. According to the invention, a dust trap or receptacle is mounted Within the space enclosed by the impeller to receive and retain particles which tend to continue their forward movement after passage through the inlet aperture as the air stream spreads to flow laterally toward the impeller blades.

The essential elements of the blower-cleaner illustrated in the drawing include blower housing I having a central inlet aperture 2 and discharge port 3, an impeller 4, and an electric motor 5 or other suitable means for driving the rotary impeller. Housing I is suitably mounted in stationary position while impeller 4 is journaled at bearing 6 for high speed rotation with shaft 1. Impeller 4 includes a plurality of blades or vanes 8 which serve to move air from the space 9 within the impeller structure to space ID outside of the impeller and within housing I, as the impeller rotates. Motor 5 is operatively connected to shaft 1 by a belt and pulley system I l or by other suitable means.

In the device illustrated in the drawing, the blower assembly thus described is enclosed within an outer casing l2 having three inlet ports I3.

- of particles in the dust trap. Particles entering Whereas power is ordinarily transmittedtothe impeller of the blower by means of a solid shaft, a hollow shaft 1 is preferably employed in the combination cleaner-blower for the convenient mounting of the dust trap therein. A dust trap I4 is mounted within space 9, being supported by hollow shaft or spout I5 which opens into the' bottom of the dust trap and extends through hollow shaft 1. The bottom end of spout I5 opens into a receptacle I6 of sufficient size to accommodate a reasonable accumulation of'particles. This dust receptacle may be closed or may be open to the space within casin I2, as shown. If desired, spout I5-may be left open to th atmosphere. The dust trap and spout assembly is suitably supported by the stationary structure of the apparatus and is not permitted to rotate with the impeller.

Mouth ll of dust trap I4 is in alignment with inlet aperture 2 and the dust trap structure is spaced from housing I at inlet aperture 2 to form an annular passageway for the air stream as it enters space 9. Inturned flange I8, forming a funnel-like approach to dust trap mouth I'I, while not indispensable, is desirable to insure retention the trap fall through spout I5 and are thus continuously removed. v

In operation of the apparatus thus described, impeller 4 is caused to rotate with shaft or sleeve 1 at a high rate of speed. Vanes 8 tend to draw air from space 9, creating a suction which causes air to flow into the blower. Movement of air into the blower must be limited to passage through inlet aperture 2 as the inward flow of air through dust trap I4 would upset the system and render it inoperative.

In designing the apparatus, the relative sizes of inlet opening 2 and dust trap mouth I! must be selected to insure preferential flow thr ugh the inlet opening. This greater effectiveness to the flow of air of the inlet opening may also be I provided by suitably shapin the structural parts entrained in the air stream tend to project forwardly in the direction of the-incoming stream through inlet aperture 2 and pass through dust trap mouth l1. Most particles of substantial density are thus removed from the air stream.

It i not possible to describe and illustrate the many possible variations of structure which may-be employed in the manner herein described tosimultaneously clean and move an air stream. Such modifications will be readily recognized as no more than the equivalent of the structure herein described in detail.

Invention is claimed as follows:

1. In combination with a centrifugal blower having a rotary vaned impeller enclosed within a housing having a central air inlet aperture opening into a space surrounded by said impeller vanes, a dust trap mounted Within said space in spaced relation to said housing, said dust trap comprising a receptacle having a mouth disposed in alignment with said air inlet aperture.

2. In a centrifugal blower having a rotary vaned impeller enclosed within a housing having a central air inlet aperture opening into a space surrounded by said impeller vanes, a hollow shaft connected with said impeller for imparting rotary motion thereto, a dust trap disposed within said space in spaced relation to said housing, said dust trap comprising a receptacle having a mouth in alignment with said 4 air inlet aperture, and a spout passing through said hollow shaft and opening into said recep tacle.

3. Structure as defined by claim 2 wherein the spout is open to the atmosphere.

4. A combination air cleaner and centrifugal blower comprising a housing having a vertical axis of revolution, a rotary impeller disposed within said housing and comprising a plurality of impeller vanes collectively forming a cylindrical body defining a space therewithin, said housing having an air inlet aperture opening into said space, a hollow vertical shaft connected with said impeller for imparting rotary motion thereto, a dust trap disposed within said space in spaced relation to said housing, said dust trap comprising a receptacle having a mouth in alignment with said air inlet aperture, and a spout passing through said hollow shaft and opening into said receptacle at the bottom thereof.

ALFRED S. CHIPLEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

' UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 861,634 Burger July 30, 1907 

